Tourisme Montréal Blog » luminotherapiehttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 19:53:49 +0000en-UShourly1Luminotherapie in Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacleshttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/luminotherapie-2014-in-montreals-quartier-des-spectacles/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/luminotherapie-2014-in-montreals-quartier-des-spectacles/#commentsTue, 16 Dec 2014 16:24:48 +0000Alexander Dunphyhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=98280Winter has arrived! Which means another incredible Luminotherapie art installation at Place des Festivals in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles… From December 10 to February 1, 2015, Montreal’s most visually vibrant square will feature the stunning PRISMATICA by Raw Design along with FASCINOSCOPE by Luz Studios. Both installations are designed to bring some light to the colder months, inviting locals and visitors to become absorbed into the futuristic art pieces. 50 twirling kaleidoscopes transport onlookers into PRISMATICA, a dizzying array of rainbow colours. The prisms look like giant shards of ice, but are actually made of clear panels with a special reflective filter. Wander around through them, spin them, listen to their chimes, and have a prismatic experience! Fascinoscope is a series of eight video projections that are inspired by the 20th century carnival. The eight projections are scattered throughout the Quartier des Spectacles, but the focal point is directly outside the Saint-Laurent metro station. Here you can play 4 interactive carnival games using special pear balls that are fitted with sensors to measure their rotation and speed. Find some friends and hold an impromptu competition! Food Trucks during Luminotherapie: Every Friday and Saturday during the month of January, a food... / Read More →

Winter has arrived! Which means another incredible Luminotherapie art installation at Place des Festivals in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles…

From December 10 to February 1, 2015, Montreal’s most visually vibrant square will feature the stunning PRISMATICA by Raw Design along with FASCINOSCOPE by Luz Studios. Both installations are designed to bring some light to the colder months, inviting locals and visitors to become absorbed into the futuristic art pieces.

50 twirling kaleidoscopes transport onlookers into PRISMATICA, a dizzying array of rainbow colours. The prisms look like giant shards of ice, but are actually made of clear panels with a special reflective filter. Wander around through them, spin them, listen to their chimes, and have a prismatic experience!

Fascinoscope is a series of eight video projections that are inspired by the 20th century carnival. The eight projections are scattered throughout the Quartier des Spectacles, but the focal point is directly outside the Saint-Laurent metro station. Here you can play 4 interactive carnival games using special pear balls that are fitted with sensors to measure their rotation and speed. Find some friends and hold an impromptu competition!

Food Trucks during Luminotherapie: Every Friday and Saturday during the month of January, a food truck will be stationed in Place des Festival to dish out some warming eats around a fire pit. Snack up and explore the visual sights!

Free Guided Tours: From January 15 to February 1st, 2015 you’ll be able to take a special free walking tour of the installations to get some background insight on the art. Online registration begins January 6, 2015!

]]>http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/luminotherapie-2014-in-montreals-quartier-des-spectacles/feed/0Things to Do in Montreal: January 24-30http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-january-24-30/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-january-24-30/#commentsThu, 23 Jan 2014 20:34:03 +0000Robyn Faddenhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=61104The days may be chilly, but Montreal’s penchant for entertainment and lively activities never freezes: celebrate snowy sports with the family, settle in at the opera, see the light in new art at the museums and outside, and rock ‘n’ roll or dance late into the night… (outdoor adventures) Spend the weekend with the family at Fête des Neiges de Montréal, an activity-packed celebration of winter at Parc Jean-Drapeau, with tobogganing, skating, skiing, dogsledding, a zip line and more. The public art of Luminothérapie illuminates downtown’s Quartiers des Spectacles with a reflective “wheat field” and an animated video game playing on the side of seven buildings, while in the Latin Quarter, along St-Denis from Sherbrooke to de Maisonneuve, have some fun with your cell phone and Spheerie, a new interactive exhibition that lets you change the colour of trees along the street. Enjoy ice skating and more winter activities at the Olympic Parc’s Winter Village, and right next door see the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium’s galactic new public art exhibition Choreographies for Humans and Stars by artists Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat. (on stage) The Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir joins Opera de Montreal, featuring the spectacular voices of Measha Brueggergosman and... / Read More →

The days may be chilly, but Montreal’s penchant for entertainment and lively activities never freezes: celebrate snowy sports with the family, settle in at the opera, see the light in new art at the museums and outside, and rock ‘n’ roll or dance late into the night…

(outdoor adventures) Spend the weekend with the family at Fête des Neiges de Montréal, an activity-packed celebration of winter at Parc Jean-Drapeau, with tobogganing, skating, skiing, dogsledding, a zip line and more. The public art of Luminothérapie illuminates downtown’s Quartiers des Spectacles with a reflective “wheat field” and an animated video game playing on the side of seven buildings, while in the Latin Quarter, along St-Denis from Sherbrooke to de Maisonneuve, have some fun with your cell phone and Spheerie, a new interactive exhibition that lets you change the colour of trees along the street. Enjoy ice skating and more winter activities at the Olympic Parc’s Winter Village, and right next door see the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium’s galactic new public art exhibition Choreographies for Humans and Stars by artists Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat.

(on stage) The Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir joins Opera de Montreal, featuring the spectacular voices of Measha Brueggergosman and Marie-Josée Lord, for a new production of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, January 25, 28 and 30 at Places des Arts. See the four-part Jeux de Cartes project from Robert Lepage and his company Ex Machina, made specifically for a circular stage and beginning with provocative theatrical show Pique, to January 25, followed by multigenerational story Coeur starting January 30, at circus centre Tohu. In contemporary dance, Tangente presents GENESIS, Montreal dancer-choreographer Thierry Huard’s work exploring gender and androgyny, to January 26, and choreographer Maria Kefirova’s new creation The Nutcracker on January 30 at Monument National, while Agora de la Danse presents Danièle Desnoyers’s dance-meets-music Duos pour corps et instruments, une [re]création, to January 25, and experimental dance company dance company La 2e Porte à Gauche takes over four hotel rooms for 2050 Mansfield-Rendez-vous à l’hôtel, January 25 and 27.(look and see) The brilliant, colourful work of painter Peter Doig comes to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in new exhibition No Foreign Lands, previously installed at the Tate Modern in London and the Musée d’art moderne of Paris. French artists Maotik and Fraction immerse viewers in their multimedia creation ObE, in all its 360-degree glory at the SAT’s Satosphere dome. On January 24, the Phi Centre screens Godfrey Reggio’s Visitors, an exploration of our emotional relationship with technology. And another kind of visual extravagance unfolds at the Montreal International Auto Show at the Palais des Congres to January 26.

(live music) Follow the trail of fame and fortune to the Bell Centre on January 24 as Jay Z brings the house/stadium down. Meanwhile, Igloofest’s second weekend continues outdoors at the Old Port with music from Misstress Barbara and Stephan Bodzin on Friday, and Claude Vonstroke, Justin Martin and more on Saturday. On Friday night, Montreal drone-meets-harmony masters Maica Mia release a new album at Sala Rossa. Rest up on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the Phi Centre’s Les Siestes Acoustiques, featuring music by JP Nataf, Jeanne Cherhal and many more musicians. Bliss out on Saturday night to the many sounds of Esmerine and Michael Feuerstack at Sala Rossa, and rock out with former members of Le Tigre, JD Samson and Men, with Diamond Bones, at Il Motore. On Sunday, the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Cristian Macelaru leads the Orchestre Métropolitain in their Latin Impressions performance of Latin and Spanish music. French musician Arthur H takes up residency at the Phi Centre January 29 to February 2, with project La construction d’un rêve, featuring free performances with Quebec musicians every day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dr Dog plays indie-rock with a 60s-psychedelic twist at Cabaret Mile End on January 29, or catch of preview of the Festival of New Trumpet Music Canada (coming this March) as nine trumpet players take the cozy Résonance Café stage on January 29. And Igloofest gets its third weekend underway on January 30 with Foreign Beggers, Mimosa and more.

]]>http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-january-24-30/feed/0Things to Do in Montreal: January 10-16http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-january-10-16/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-january-10-16/#commentsThu, 09 Jan 2014 20:41:40 +0000Robyn Faddenhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=59831The holidays in all their joy have come and gone, but Montreal remains lit up and full of energy and entertainment for the rest of the winter season, both outside in the snow and indoors in venues city-wide… (light and fun) Play among public art in the heart of downtown as the Luminothérapie project illuminates Place des Arts’ promenade with a stylized “wheat field” meant for wandering through, and the animated video game Trouve Bob pops up on huge screens throughout the Quartier des Spectacles. Try your hand at the Quebecois tradition of ice fishing at the Old Port or simply tie on a pair of skates and experience Old Montreal from a unique and wintery vantage point – or go further afield for more outdoor or indoor sports opportunities. Of course, there’s always the option of a hockey game: on January 11 the Montreal Canadiens play the Blackhawks and on January 14, our hometown Habs take on the NJ Devils, all at the Bell Centre. A different kind of mayhem unfolds at the Bell Centre with WWE Live! on January 12, featuring the antics of John Cena, Randy Orton, The Big Show, Kane and more wrestling stars. (on stage & screen) The newest... / Read More →

The holidays in all their joy have come and gone, but Montreal remains lit up and full of energy and entertainment for the rest of the winter season, both outside in the snow and indoors in venues city-wide…

(light and fun) Play among public art in the heart of downtown as the Luminothérapie project illuminates Place des Arts’ promenade with a stylized “wheat field” meant for wandering through, and the animated video game Trouve Bob pops up on huge screens throughout the Quartier des Spectacles. Try your hand at the Quebecois tradition of ice fishing at the Old Port or simply tie on a pair of skates and experience Old Montreal from a unique and wintery vantage point – or go further afield for more outdoor or indoor sports opportunities. Of course, there’s always the option of a hockey game: on January 11 the Montreal Canadiens play the Blackhawks and on January 14, our hometown Habs take on the NJ Devils, all at the Bell Centre. A different kind of mayhem unfolds at the Bell Centre with WWE Live! on January 12, featuring the antics of John Cena, Randy Orton, The Big Show, Kane and more wrestling stars.

(on stage & screen) The newest work from creative mind Robert Lepage and his company Ex Machina comes to life in the four-part Jeux de Cartes project, beginning with provocative theatrical show Pique, played on a circular stage, January 14-25 at circus centre Tohu. Politically-inspired theatre company Teesri Duniya Theatre stages Bhopal, the tragic true story of a 1984 pesticide plant explosion in India, at the Segal Centre, January 15 to February 2. See some of Montreal’s best independent (and highly affordable!) theatre at Centaur Theatre’s Wildside Festival, to January 12. Meanwhile, dance festival Bouge d’ici shines the spotlight on emerging choreographers and dancers, with evening cabaret shows as well as afternoon workshops for dancers and non-dancers alike, to January 18 at Mainline Theatre. Watch for solo contemporary dance at Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme at Place des Arts, where Compagnie Manuel Roque performs among the passers-by, January 15-17. And ObE, the new immersive multimedia project from French artists Maotik and Fraction, is unveiled on the 360-degree screen and in surround sound at SAT’s Satosphere, beginning January 15.

(warm up to art) Visit the waterways and artistic masterpieces of Venice at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in its Splendore a Venezia music-inspired art exhibition, on only until January 19 – and on January 12 at 2 p.m., see a puppet show inspired by the exhibition, perfect for the whole family. The Parisian Laundry gallery debuts new sculpture exhibition Théâtre D’objets by acclaimed artist Valérie Blass, opening January 15. Galerie de l’UQAM presents the final stop of Carol Wainio’s The Book exhibition, which engages with contemporary social and political thought via illustrated books and fairy tales, and Isabelle Guimond’s Rêve, Baby, Rêve!, large-scale paintings inspired by the Montreal neighbourhood of Hochelaga. Take a self-guided tour of the multi-storey Belgo building, home to numerous galleries and located right downtown at 372 Ste-Catherine West: Les Territoires shows Sophia Burke’s portraits of pastry that look good enough to eat and Tara Nicholson’s photographs of urban life’s so-called “secure” and comfortable private and public spaces; Galerie B-312 hosts a diverse group show of emerging artists who recently completely Masters degrees at Concordia and UQAM universities; SBC Gallery presents Stage Set Stage, a performance, film and workshop series on identity and institutionalization; and catch the last few days of Thierry Marceau’s Warhol-like Happy Meal, curated by Nicolas Mavrikakis, at Galerie Joyce Yahouda.

(live music) It didn’t take Montreal long to recover from New Year’s Eve: on January 11, the SAT hosts CHOK.ca’s free party made for late-night good times with hip hop from Tommy Kruise, Loud Lary Ajust and more. On January 12, Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter Jake Bugg visits Metropolis, while the dub-reggae of New Kingston, Inword and Riddim Wise Sound System hits Petit Campus. On January 14, electronic artist Nicolas Jaar and Brooklyn-based musician Dave Harrington perform together as DARKSIDE at Théâtre Corona. Montreal’s One Man Band Festival briefly comes out of winter hibernation to present the folk and country of Wax Mannequin, Nick Ferrio and The Sin and the Swoon, on January 11 at Casa del Popolo. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra with conductor Sir Andrew Davis mark the birth of composer Benjamin Britten with a concert that includes his Four Sea Interludes and Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, at Maison Symphonique on January 15 and 16. On January 16, the UK’s Yuck stops in Montreal to melodically rock out with Alvvays at Il Motore, while Frank Black and The Pixies work fans into a nostalgic frenzy at Metropolis. And Igloofest begins January 16: dance along with hundreds of electronic music fans outside at the Old Port of Montreal to beats by Art Department, Kenny Larkin, Pat Boogie and more on two laser-lit stages.

Take advantage of your stay in Montreal with our Sweet Deal package filled with special offers valued at $500!

]]>http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-january-10-16/feed/0Things to Do in Montreal: December 20-January 9http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-december-20-january-9/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-december-20-january-9/#commentsThu, 19 Dec 2013 19:34:32 +0000Robyn Faddenhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=57977The winter holiday season in Montreal can be as relaxing as it is exciting – whatever pace you choose, the city can match it, whether you’re in the mood to dine and shop, see art and go to the symphony, run away with the circus, or take the whole family out to play in the snow… (light fare) There are plenty of bright, shiny reasons to spend time outdoors in Montreal over the holidays. Our Christmas and Holiday Guide outlines several, from skating in the Old Port (with fireworks on Saturday nights!) to walking among the public art of Luminothérapie in the Quartier des Spectacles. Visit Old Montreal for the Merry Montreal festivities along with skating, ice fishing and more in the Old Port, or head further east to Olympic Park’s Winter Village, featuring a skating rink, fire pits, games and performances, and on January 4, a gathering of the city’s gourmet food trucks, serving up fois gras poutine, crepes and more. For a more indoor-outdoor foodie experience, book a dinner at the SAT Foodlab’s Nordic Terrace, a yurt complete with cushions, litres of mulled wine, and simply delicious dishes. If you’re still on the lookout for gifts, check our Holiday Shopping Guide, including... / Read More →

The winter holiday season in Montreal can be as relaxing as it is exciting – whatever pace you choose, the city can match it, whether you’re in the mood to dine and shop, see art and go to the symphony, run away with the circus, or take the whole family out to play in the snow…

(light fare) There are plenty of bright, shiny reasons to spend time outdoors in Montreal over the holidays. Our Christmas and Holiday Guide outlines several, from skating in the Old Port (with fireworks on Saturday nights!) to walking among the public art of Luminothérapie in the Quartier des Spectacles. Visit Old Montreal for the Merry Montreal festivities along with skating, ice fishing and more in the Old Port, or head further east to Olympic Park’s Winter Village, featuring a skating rink, fire pits, games and performances, and on January 4, a gathering of the city’s gourmet food trucks, serving up fois gras poutine, crepes and more. For a more indoor-outdoor foodie experience, book a dinner at the SAT Foodlab’s Nordic Terrace, a yurt complete with cushions, litres of mulled wine, and simply delicious dishes. If you’re still on the lookout for gifts, check our Holiday Shopping Guide, including artisanal and craft fair Salon des Metiers d’Art to December 22 at Place Bonaventure. And, of course and as ever, Montreal gets even brighter on New Year’s Eve: see our New Year’s Eve Guide to some of best events and parties.

(spectacular shows) Cirque du Soleil stuns once more with Varekai, a story of otherworldly adventure told through world-class circus acts, at the Bell Centre, December 20-30. One of the most creative circus troupes around, 7 Doigts de la Main ties its incredible acrobatic acts together with emotionally-engaging themes and good humour: see Traces at La Tohu to January 4. And for younger kids, Circus Incognitus entertains with juggling tricks, balancing acts and comedic touches at Place des Arts, December 28-30. In more traditional seasonal entertainment, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal delight with The Nutcracker, December 12-30 at Place des Arts. On December 23, experience the CBC’s Vinyl Cafe live with beloved storyteller Stuart McLean, at Place des Arts. Excellent independent theatre wins the day at the Wildside Festival at Centaur Theatre, January 3-12. And Pop-punk gets the all-singing, all-dancing musical treatment in Green Day: American Idiot, January 4-5 at Place des Arts.

(family time) Summertime in Montreal is wonderful for families, but winter has its perks as well, especially when it comes to keeping kids busy and happy. The city’s Ecomuseum, an environmentally-active zoo, stays open every day but Christmas, inviting visitors to see how wild animals spend their holidays. The Space for Life also keeps things lively: wander through the different ecosystems of the Biodôme, spotting plants and animals along the way, ride a miniature train, and see new multimedia show Biorama, created by Moment Factory; visit the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden and the creatures of the Insectarium; and see two multimedia shows about our vast universe at the Planetarium. International trade relations of yore become fun and fascinating at Pointe-à-Callière’s Pirates or Privateers interactive exhibition, specifically made for kids age 6 to 12, while the museum’s Who Is the Real Santa Claus? looks at the history of Santa through Christmas-themed archaeological findings, and the Beatles exhibition, while not specifically made for kids, presents musical fun for everyone. And space is the place at the McCord Museum’s cosmic-themed Toys exhibition.

(at the museum) Art, hip hop music and social activism meet at the Musee d’art contemporain’s incredible and inspiring Beat Nation exhibition, a carefully curated collection of contemporary work by North American Native artists, on until January 5. Take a stroll along the waterways of Venice at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’s Splendore a Venezia show, inspired by the music to the city and featuring paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries as well as a full-scale gondola. See porcelain like you’ve never seen it before at Art Mur‘s De la porcelaine à l’oeuvre exhibition, a stunning display of inventiveness, on only until December 21. And the McCord Museum displays over 100 life-affirming documentary photographs by Quebec’s Claire Beaugrand-Champagne in Touching Reality – Photographs from 1970 to 2013.

(winter music) Sing along as the classical musicians of I Musici de Montréal play Christmas carols and a variety of festive music from France and England, at Maison Symphonique at Place des Arts on December 22. Alternatively, hip hop artist Machine Gun Kelly comes to Club Soda that night, with openers Tommy Kruise and Nation Ruckus. While on December 21, unorthodox chamber music collective Warhol Dervish – Lukas Ligeti, Sam Shalabi and Vergil Sharkya – plays new music at Sala Rossa. Attila Glatz Concert Productions celebrates the New Year with an Homage to Vienna, featuring Strauss waltzes, polkas & operetta excerpts, at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, January 1. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Kent Nagano and Romanian pianist Radu Lupu, extends an invitation to An All-Beethoven Evening, featuring Symphony No. 4, Piano Concerto No. 4, and Symphony No. 2, on January 7-9 at the Maison Symphonique. And New York City’s Shen Yun Performing Arts brings the music and dance of ancient China to the stage with dozens of performers and a live orchestra, at Places des Arts, January 6-9.

]]>http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-december-20-january-9/feed/0Run and Play in the Light of Luminothérapiehttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/run-and-play-in-the-light-of-luminotherapie/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/run-and-play-in-the-light-of-luminotherapie/#commentsThu, 12 Dec 2013 21:05:36 +0000Robyn Faddenhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=57296Wander through an illuminated wheat field and play robot-populated video games on 100-foot-high screens this winter in Montreal in the name of Luminothérapie, a high-tech public art exhibition in the Quartiers des Spectacles, every night from December 11 to February 2… Now in its fourth year, Luminothérapie lets local designers, artists and architects build outdoor creations unlike anything the city has seen before, as part of Montreal’s inclusion as a UNESCO City of Design, an international creative urban venture. This year, the exhibition comes in two parts: a field of light and music running the length of Place des Festivals along Jeanne-Mance Street; and an animated projection series that can be played like a game on the facades of seven buildings in the Quartier des Spectacle. Outside Place des Arts, the stylized and illuminated icebergs of last year’s Luminothérapie give way to rows upon rows of glowing wheat, swaying in the wintry breeze. Walk among the 28,500 flexible stalks of Entre les Rangs, each reflecting light projected from above, and become a living, luminous part of the ethereal exhibition. Created by a team from the Kanva architecture and design firm, Entre les Rangs is also a feast for the ears, featuring all-new... / Read More →

Wander through an illuminated wheat field and play robot-populated video games on 100-foot-high screens this winter in Montreal in the name of Luminothérapie, a high-tech public art exhibition in the Quartiers des Spectacles, every night from December 11 to February 2…

Now in its fourth year, Luminothérapielets local designers, artists and architects build outdoor creations unlike anything the city has seen before, as part of Montreal’s inclusion as a UNESCO City of Design, an international creative urban venture. This year, the exhibition comes in two parts: a field of light and music running the length of Place des Festivals along Jeanne-Mance Street; and an animated projection series that can be played like a game on the facades of seven buildings in the Quartier des Spectacle.

Outside Place des Arts, the stylized and illuminated icebergs of last year’s Luminothérapie give way to rows upon rows of glowing wheat, swaying in the wintry breeze. Walk among the 28,500 flexible stalks of Entre les Rangs, each reflecting light projected from above, and become a living, luminous part of the ethereal exhibition. Created by a team from the Kanva architecture and design firm, Entre les Rangs is also a feast for the ears, featuring all-new melodies from Montreal’s own Polaris-prize-winning Patrick Watson.

Luminothérapie moves from the sublime to the wonderfully ridiculous with Trouve Bob, created in the spirit of the early days of video games, complete with 8-bit music and colourfully pixelated animation. Trouve Bob asks participants to go on a multi-block search for the wacky character Bob as he pops up on screens throughout the Quartier des Spectacles. Local collective Champagne Club Sandwich, who have designed similarly fun material for Cirque du Soleil, Adidas and the National Hockey League, take over seven building façades in the Quartier for the project, from a building right next to Entre les Rangs (play the “Fete Forain” level there) to Parc de la Paix outside the SAT (the “Party BBQ” level) to the National Library (the “Futurville” level) and more.

While on your illuminated journey through the Quartiers des Spectacles, warm up at Places des Arts with the newest staging of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens’s The Nutcracker, see contemporary aboriginal art and hip hop exhibition Beat Nation at the Musée d’art contemporain, and be entertained by even more seasonal events in the heart of downtown.

]]>http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/run-and-play-in-the-light-of-luminotherapie/feed/3Things to Do in Montreal: December 13-19http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-december-13-19/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-december-13-19/#commentsThu, 12 Dec 2013 20:35:47 +0000Robyn Faddenhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=57308This week is perfect for enjoying the winter light in Montreal, both natural and electrically crafted for the festive season: wander through downtown to see public art sparkle, go ice skating at night, do some holiday shopping at a cozy craft fair, and see stars of theatre, dance and music take the stage… (winter wonderland) As wintery as the weather is becoming, outdoors remains the place to (briefly) be in Montreal. As our Christmas and Holiday Guide points out, the city positively glitters this season: see the illuminated and animated art of Luminothérapie in the Quartier des Spectacles, visit Old Montreal for the Merry Montreal festivities along with skating, ice fishing and more in the Old Port, or head further east to Olympic Park’s Winter Village and Space for Life’s Botanical Garden, Biodome and Planetarium. In NHL hockey, see what seats you can score for the Panthers vs. Canadiens on Sunday and Coyotes vs. Canadiens on Tuesday at the Bell Centre. Meanwhile, the Olympian-packed Canadian Women’s Hockey League shows home-team strength as the Montreal Stars take on the Calgary Inferno, December 14-16 at Arena Etienne-Desmarteau, with a special intermission show at the December 15 game, featuring the family-friendly hockey music of Lederhosen Lucil. (crafty shopping) If you’re... / Read More →

This week is perfect for enjoying the winter light in Montreal, both natural and electrically crafted for the festive season: wander through downtown to see public art sparkle, go ice skating at night, do some holiday shopping at a cozy craft fair, and see stars of theatre, dance and music take the stage…

(winter wonderland) As wintery as the weather is becoming, outdoors remains the place to (briefly) be in Montreal. As our Christmas and Holiday Guide points out, the city positively glitters this season: see the illuminated and animated art of Luminothérapie in the Quartier des Spectacles, visit Old Montreal for the Merry Montreal festivities along with skating, ice fishing and more in the Old Port, or head further east to Olympic Park’s Winter Village and Space for Life’s Botanical Garden, Biodome and Planetarium. In NHL hockey, see what seats you can score for the Panthers vs. Canadiens on Sunday and Coyotes vs. Canadiens on Tuesday at the Bell Centre. Meanwhile, the Olympian-packed Canadian Women’s Hockey League shows home-team strength as the Montreal Stars take on the Calgary Inferno, December 14-16 at Arena Etienne-Desmarteau, with a special intermission show at the December 15 game, featuring the family-friendly hockey music of Lederhosen Lucil.

(seasonal stages) Delight in the dance, music and lightness of being at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal’s The Nutcracker, featuring over 100 dancers, December 12-30 at Place des Arts. One of Montreal’s most brilliant circus troupes, 7 Doigts de la Main performs their acrobatic ode to humanity, Traces, at La Tohu, December 17 to January 4. Dance and theatre combine with Greek stories of love in the Phaedra Project’s No! I! Don’t! Want! To! Fall! In! Love! With! You!, at MAI, December 11-14. Talented emerging dance artists show their creative stuff in Tangente’s Classe, at Monument-National, December 12-15. And choreographer Pierre-Paul Savoie directs Eugène Ionesco’s Les Chaises for PPS Danse, December 15 at Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts.

(classical & rock music) If it’s not really Christmas until you’ve heard a choir sing, be sure to hear The Orchestre Métropolitain Choir at Place des Arts on December 14. The Orchestre also performs on December 13 as conductor Julian Kuerti interprets Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra. And on December 16, the McGill Chamber Orchestra performs with soloists at Christ Church Cathedral in Old Montreal, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra performs a Christmas concert with Quebecois storyteller Fred Pellerin, December 16-19 at the Symphony Hall. On the rock ‘n’ roll side of the holiday spectrum, Friday night begins with Montreal’s ever-popular Jonas and the Massive Attraction, playing their pop-rock hits at Club Soda with opener Mat Joly, while Toronto’s Cancer Bats rock Cabaret Mile End, and the Phi Centre screens Deedle Lacour’s doc Filmage: The Story of Descendents. On December 14, let Rod Stewart win your heart all over again with his winsome ways at the Bell Centre, or dance to some of the best good-time DJs in the city as The Goods spin for Bonsound Record’s Party de Noël at Sala Rossa, or go further underground with Doldrums – how the Beach Boys would sound if they really liked to party – at Cabaret Playhouse. On Sunday, December 15, hard rockers Monster Truck roll into Petit Campus. And on December 19, get in on the monthly Hip Hop Karaoke action at Le Belmont.

]]>http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-december-13-19/feed/0THINGS TO DO IN MONTREAL: NOVEMBER 30- DECEMBER 6http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-november-30-6-december/
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/things-to-do-in-montreal-november-30-6-december/#commentsFri, 30 Nov 2012 21:51:53 +0000Robyn Faddenhttp://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog/?p=7876December in Montreal begins with nothing short of fireworks on Saturday night, along with several other events that light up the city, from outdoor art to Christmas-tree festooned craft fairs – a few stars of comedy and music glitter even in our midst this week too.

]]>December in Montreal begins with nothing short of fireworks on Saturday night, along with several other events that light up the city, from outdoor art to Christmas-tree festooned craft fairs – a few stars of comedy and music glitter even in our midst this week too…

(hot shop) Shop for holiday gifts or yourself at the annual souk @ sat art and design fair – it’s hip, it’s cool, it’s very Montreal, with over 100 professional artists and designers selling unique clothing, jewellery, handbags, furniture, home accessories, toys, art and more. The sale happens November 30 to December 2 at the Société des Arts Technologiques downtown, where you can also stop for a bite at their FoodLab restaurant. Find more Quebec-made creations, from clothing to gourmet food, at Le Marché Casse Noisette, also known as The Nutcracker Market, a non-profit market co-organized by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens – it’s one of many of Montreal’s December craft and artisanal fairs. Environmentally conscious shopping meets eco-education and entertainment – including a Green Santa! – at the Recycling-Artists Eco Fair at the Biosphère ecological centre in Parc Jean-Drapeau, November 30-December 2. And in Mile End, check out Marché de Noël du Mile End at Ecole Lambert-Closse (5840 St-Urbain), November 30 until 9 p.m. and December 1, 10am-5pm., featuring food, gifts and more.

(winter wonderlands) Montreal’s first snowfall has come and gone already, but more picturesque snow days are certainly on their way – and with them, winter sports! The huge outdoor skating rink in the Old Port opens December 1 – if you get there before 11 a.m., skate for free! If you get there afterwards, it’s only $6 anyway, with rentals available on site too. Later on December 1, the TELUS Fire on Ice fireworks show lights up the sky over the Old Port starting at 8 p.m. And over at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, wander through an indoor forest of Christmas trees, decorated in different styles with traditional and hand-painted decorations by local associations and cultural groups. Access to the museum’s permanent collections is free at all times, as are the museum’s weekend art workshops and tours for kids and families.

(comedy gold) Some big names in comedy come to Montreal this week, but while Jerry Seinfeld’s December 1 at Place des Arts is sold out, there’s still a chance to see Robin Williams in freewheeling conversation with fellow comedian (and director and author) David Steinberg on December 5 at Place des Arts. Not only is Williams’ career in television, film and on stage on the interview agenda, but so is his personal life – sure to be strange, hilarious and entertaining. On a smaller but just as funny scale, New York City veteran comic Al Lubel treads the Montreal Comedy Works stage November 30 and December 1. And family-friendly circus, musical and epic adventure show Loucho the Clown continues at Theatre Ste-Catherine to December 2.

(immersive art) Montreal lights up throughout the month with Luminotherapie, works of high-tech art located throughout the Quartier des Spectacles in the downtown core. Follow the story of an iceberg in interactive installation Iceberg – human movement actually transforms the physical structure and the sounds within, and look out for the many videos of Le Jour des 8 Soleils, projected on buildings throughout the Quartier. Create a professional self-portrait at the WonderWall collective art project at ArtLab (5524 St-Patrick), all day December 1 and 2 – you don’t need any art experience to be a participant and all materials will be supplied. And the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal holds its Giant Inventory Sale of Musée Publications – all publications are on sale for $2, cash only – December 4-5.

(film lands) At the end of Montreal’s film festival season, we find a celebration: Image+Nation has spent 25 years bringing LGBT films from around the world to Montreal, with plenty of good ones this year too, playing at Cinema du Parc until December 2 – feature length dramas this weekend include Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean, Nicole Conn’s A Perfect Ending and more. Also at Cinema du Parc is Montreal’s Brazilian film festival, November 30-December 6, featuring premiers of new Brazilian films along with directors present for Q&A sessions after screenings.

(opera & theatre)Opera de Montreal holds its 17th annual Gala fundraiser with some of the companies most adored singers performing arias and ensembles from productions past and present – held at the beautiful new Maison symphonique de Montréal on Sunday, December 2 at 2 p.m. Meanwhile, in theatre, David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Good People, set in Boston’s working-class Irish “Southie” neighbourhood, continues at the Centaur to December 6. Contemporary painting gets the dramatic treatment in Red, based on the work and life of artist Mark Rothko, at the Segal Centre to December 16. And live it up with a night of vaudeville on December 6 at the Segal, with live music from Bad Uncle, comedians Mike Paterson, Tim Rabnet and Ryan Wilner, burlesque and circus acts, and more.

(dancing days) The fairytale of Snow White is turned into an urban, dreamy, often funny dance odyssey in Où est Blanche-Neige?, choreographed by Manon Oligny as part of this winter’s Parcours Danse events – see a free performance at Espace culturel Georges-Émile-Lapalme at Place des Arts on December 4 at 5 p.m. and a free performance of Alors, Dansez Maintenant! on December 5 at 11:45 a.m. Persian music and contemporary dance combine in Śūnya, at the Segal Centre on December 1. Dance Cité presents Nancy Leduc’s Projet Harlequin, inspired by reading Harlequin romance novels as a teenager, to December 8 at Théâtre de Quat’sous (100 Pins W.). And up-and-coming dancers perform short pieces at the Bouge d’ici Mash Up, hosted by Miss Sugarpuss on November 30 at Shift Space (1190 St-Antoine W.).